The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Schizachyrium scoparium and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘Blue Paradise’ and “the new plant.” ‘Blue Paradise’ represents a new cultivar of little bluestem, an ornamental grass grown for landscape use. The new plant was a single seedling selected at a wholesale perennial nursery in Zeeland, Mich. from the set of open pollinated seed of a proprietary unreleased and unpatented selection named H10-06 as the female or seed parent and an unknown male or pollen parent. Seeds were collected and harvested on Nov. 4, 2011. Following initial evaluations in 2012 and subsequent seasons at the same nursery in Zeeland, Mich. the single selected seedling was assigned the breeder code number H11-07-51.
Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Blue Paradise’ has been successfully propagated by culm division at the same nursery in Zeeland, Mich. since the spring of 2013 and also by sterile plant tissue culture shoot division. The result asexually propagated plants have remained stable and true to type for all traits of the original plant in successive generations.
No plants of Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Blue Paradise’ have been sold in this country or anywhere in the world prior to the filing of this application, nor has any disclosure of the new plant been made prior to the filing of this application with the exception of that which was disclosed within one-year period of the filing of this application and was either derived directly or indirectly from the inventor.